The Secret Behind American Artistic Swimmers’ Flawless Underwater Hair

As we come to a close at the Paris Olympics, every athlete’s journey continues to reveal the grandeur of their secrets, whether it’s their fitness routine, inspiring stories, or signature looks.

After the French synchronized swimmers unveiled their waterproof makeup, it’s now the American artistic swimmers’ turn to create buzz online. They’re ticking a new box in our beauty encyclopedia with their sleek, flawless hair that remains tamed and unbothered even after swimming the deep depths of the pools of the Olympics Aquatic Centre in Paris.

Part of Team USA is Daniella Ramirez, a 4x World Championship medalist who captivated audiences with her team’s immaculate clean hair during and after their competition. On her TikTok account, Daniella shared a video of her humorously responding to an ASMR challenge for its crispness. Later, she posted several clips revealing how she achieves this smooth, wax-like hair!

“Welcome to Knox Avec Moi,” Daniella said, before treating us with her secret on how to properly apply the gel—it's therapeutic for her, and also for us! First, all you need to do is tie your hair into a sleek bun. Then, gently apply the gel to each side, but make sure to brush it through, it will help to make the gel look cleaner and more flawless. Just a little tip, don’t forget to focus mainly on the front to keep your baby hairs in place. Let it sit for a while, and then, there you go. You can now swim with an illuminating-sleek bun like the team USA! 

For swimmers dedicated to their performances, 'Knoxing' provides an extra edge, adding a wow factor to their routines and helping capture the judges’ attention throughout the competition. This also puts Daniella in a good space for her performance. Team USA won the silver medal this year, ample proof of how this gelatin hair trick plays a significant role in their success.

After that fiery dance in the water, our curiosity struck again. If you’re concerned that removing the gel might cause hair loss, don’t worry! Daniella already thoughtfully guided us to the getting unready part. She begins by removing the accessories from her bun and gently peeling the gelatin off with her hands or using a comb. If it becomes stubborn and sticks to the hair, Daniella rinses it out with hot water, which softly melts the gelatin away. Simple, right? Not as hair-breaking as you might think.

How then does Daniella keep her hair healthy?

We understand what might come to the audience's mind: 'All those years of wearing Knox during competitions must’ve dried out every artistic swimmer’s hair.' Daniella responded by confidently sharing a video of her sweet, bouncy curls. She also addressed frequently asked questions on her page by uploading a video demonstrating her hair routine using L'Oréal EverPure Clarifying Shampoo and Conditioner as aftercare. The swimmer explains how it revitalizes her hair after being in the water all day and removes the chlorine accumulated throughout the week.

Additionally, before going to sleep, using a hair serum preserves its natural look and keeping it as healthy as possible, nourishing her scalp and keeping it free from pool toxins. This is her secret for those beautiful volume-defined curls. You might also want to incorporate some of that to boost your hair’s nourishment!

We now have new insightful information to add in our beauty book. So, when the time comes to watch an artistic swimming team, either local or international, we’ll be paying attention not only to their performances but also to the effort they put into achieving their eye-catching beauty statements!

Text by Ryan Claveria

Banner photo via @daniellaaramirezzz